Dark Savior
by xTimexTurnerx
Summary: Post 4x08: The Snow Queen has been destroyed, and all that's left is Rumple. After getting back Killian's heart, Emma is close to succumbing to the dark rage inside of her.


A/N: I HAD SO MANY FEELINGS AFTER 4x08: MY DESIRE TO RUN OVER RUMPLE WITH A TRUCK, PANIC THAT SOMEONE WILL HURT KILLIAN'S BEAUTIFUL FACE AND ABSOLUTE TRAGIC PAIN THAT THOSE TWO IDIOTS WILL NOT LOVE EACH OTHER FOR EVER AND EVER.

So, you know, I wrote a fic to indulge all my fantasies. Enjoy.

_Post 4x08: The Snow Queen has been destroyed, and all that's left is Rumple. After getting back Killian's heart, Emma is close to succumbing to the dark rage inside of her._

"No!" Emma screamed, "HE'S MINE!" Regina paused, fireball poised above her head, ready to throw it at a crawling Rumplestiltskin. Regina nodded, understating the primal need to punish those who hurt what you love.

Killian's red heart, bright red heart, was thundering in her ears as she stormed toward Rumplestiltskin. The glowing organ's heavy weight inside her jacket pocked purred her on—the faster she crushed him, the faster she could go to Killian.

Emma threw her boiling hand out in front of her, and red-hot shackles formed around Rumplestiltskin's wrists. He hissed in pain. Emma could hear Snow gasp behind her, and David's soothing words, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She knew her parents loved her and wanted her to embrace her powers—every part of them: the dark, the light, and all that in-between. No one is wholly heroic or villainous.

"Well, well, look at the Savior now," Rumplestiltskin grimaced.

"Shut up! You don't get to talk! You've betrayed everyone. You lied to the town, you lied to Belle." She could tell he didn't have the energy remaining for manic laughter, but a sick smile curved over his face. "And I'm going to make sure you can't hurt anyone. Ever again. NOW!"

On her word, Elsa tossed Emma the magic, purple hat, which she quickly turned toward Rumplestiltskin. The blinding gold light hungrily sucked him in, and at the gruesome sight, Emma's rage simmered to a dull boil. When the last of the light had vanished and Rumplestiltskin was gone, Emma stood shell shocked, holding the hat limply in her hands.

"You did it," Elsa whispered, putting her cold hand on Emma's shoulder. David quickly joined her, wrapping his arm around his daughter's shoulders.

"You did what needed to be done." At her father's voice, Emma was able to drop the hat, which sprung back into its metal cylinder.

The glazed look on her face remained as she turned toward the other end of the room. As she walked toward Killian's limp form, she pulled out his heart and held it in her hands. The red glow's splendor is what finally made Emma pause. The man that had gone through so much, who had been dark and vengeful for centuries, was whole and incredible. If there was hope for him, surely there was for her as well.

Emma hesitated over his body. "You can do it," this time it was her mother standing firmly beside her. In Snow's eyes there wasn't fear, or shock, but determination. Emma smiled, "thank you."

Snow nodded, before walking into the adjoining room. Elsa, David, Regina, and Robin followed.

Emma and Killian were alone, for the first time since their first date. She smiled at the memory of the Italian restaurant and finally had the strength to drop to her knees and push his heart back in his chest.

He gasped almost immediately from the shock, and tried to sit up.

"Easy," Emma chided. She gently pushed his shoulders down to meet the ground.

"Emma." Her name came out as a groan when he noticed her hovering over him. Her feeble protests were crushed under the weight of his embrace.

_Emma_, his whispers wove through each strand of her hair, around her head and seeped into her skin.

"I thought you were gone," she whispered back.

"Love, I told you, I'm good at surviving." He pulled back to smile at her—a smile so radiant it broke her apart and put her back together again. Emma allowed herself to feel, to break down.

"Good," she said through her tears. Killian pulled her into his chest, clutching her with a ferocity she had never felt. He murmured calming phrases until her shaking stopped.

"Where's the crocodile" he asked. Emma could tell the voice was carefully controlled, but a stirring rage was sleeping underneath.

"I put him in the hat," she said. Emma couldn't meet his eyes.

"Love," Killian pulled her chin up to his eyes. "You're not like him, you did it to save Henry, to save the town, to save me."

Emma held his gaze. "I know."

"Do you?"

There was a beat of time before her response. "I know it, I don't feel it."

"Emma, I've known you for so long. I've seen the best bits of you, and the darker parts, and you're bloody amazing. He didn't give you a choice."

"There's always a choice."

Killian contemplated this. "Too right. I chose you, over pursuing that crocodile. I've tasted the darkness, and I turned back from it. No matter how far gone you think you are love, there's always a way back."

"Your heart doesn't have a spot of black on it." Emma smiled, running her fingers over his smooth neck.

"That's what happens when you do things out of love rather than vengeance." She froze for a moment and Killian's eyes searched hers.

All humor vanished from his tone. "I do love you, Emma." Of course she knew it. He followed her through a vortex, gave up the Jolly Rodger, and hung around her love-struck parents without complaint. Of course he loved her.

Emma had never been one for words. She used the fingers stroking his neck to pull him in and crush her lips against his. She tried to pour everything she felt into that kiss: relief, guilt, passion, love. He hand went to her hair, as it always did, and the hook rested comfortable around the crook of her arm.

It wasn't enough, it was _never_ enough. Emma threw her leg over his, so she could situate herself over his hips. She wanted to melt into him, to crush herself against him so it was impossible to tell her end from his beginning. Killian groaned as she left his mouth to kiss hurriedly down the plank of his neck.

"Just to be sure, love, was this your answer?" Emma moved back, perched on the spot just above where his thigh met his knees. Her lips were a deep red from their recent activities and she smiled.

"I love you too, Killian."


End file.
